I was drenched in sweat, some of it mine but the majority of it from the people surrounding me. I thought my legs would collapse at any moment, if it were not for all the people standing around me I was sure my muscles, which by that point had turned jelly-like, would no longer keep me standing nonetheless dancing. My ears were ringing and I was almost positive I would be deaf the next day. I was having the time of my life. I had heard about raves before – loud music, glow sticks, and teenagers wild on drugs. After hearing the horror stories of all the potentially dangerous activity that goes on at raves, I never thought I would end up at one. That’s why when I heard that the event ticket I had bought for one of my favorite DJ’s was actually a rave I was a bit more scared than excited. After experiencing it for myself, however, I stand corrected. Contrary to the stereotype that raves are a place for drug-fueled teenagers to run wild, I believe the experience can be a healthy, fun gathering to enjoy God’s gift to Earth – live electronic music. The main issue society usually has with raves is the amount of drug use usually associated with them. Indeed this also scared me, I was not one to take drugs and the thought of being around thousands of people who were did not appeal to me. However, this fear was all but forgotten when I entered the venue the night of the event. Before entering the concert, I waited in about in a line that stretched half a mile where I got the chance to talk with a lot of the people attending the rave. What I learned from a lot of the people, most who have attended many more raves before this one, was no one wanted a bunch of teenagers high on drugs attending. They said the media exaggerates the drug use at these events and a lot of people simply were there for the music. There was also security at the door that checked every person and their bags. This made it feel like a much more safe environment and assured me I was not getting into the exact situation I did not want to be in. Of course there were a few ravers who were able to sneak past security that got belligerent and obnoxious but if one felt uncomfortable a security guard was not hard to find. After I realized safety was the least of my concerns, I finally realized what the hype about raves was all about. I had been to plenty of concerts in the past and I knew when I originally bought my ticket it would not be like the one’s I attended before. There was no lead singer, band, or guitarist; instead it was one man and one computer. However, I never would have imagined what the night had in store for me. It was general admission seating, which meant no seats but a standing room where you were pressed skin-to-skin with those around you. Since it was electronic music, it only made sense for the crowd to be dancing, which there was plenty of. At any concert, the music is played at almost an overwhelming volume but at the rave, you heard sounds you did not know you were capable of hearing, the floor was shaking beneath your feet from the intensity of the bass, and at any moment you thought your eardrums were going to burst. However, the environment was perfect for this and it was unlike any concert-experience I had ever had. There were also huge screens behind the DJ on stage displaying a light show with visuals that were undeniably breathtaking. The visuals meshed perfectly with the music and put the crowd into a blissful trance that kept the intense energy going throughout the night. It was unlike any other concert experience and in my opinion nothing else could compare. The group of people attending also contributed to the spectacular experience of the rave. Since the event was held in Washington D.C., people from all over the east coast attended. The DJ who the event was being held for mainly attracted people in the same age group, which meant there were not people who were too much older or younger than myself. Before the event was a great time to meet people and learn about their past rave experiences, since most of the people had been to previous events like this one. It was a great preparation for what was to come and an opportunity to learn about a unique set of individuals. Meeting people from all over the east coast also factored in to the great experience of the rave. Before the rave you could converse with people and discuss different events that were in different areas on the east coast and when it came time to enter the event the gathering of people dancing together felt more like a club environment rather than a concert. Although I was a little unsure about whether or not this event would stick to the stereotypes and end up being a disaster, I ended up having the night of my life. I felt a sense of safety that I did not think I would, experienced music in a whole new way, and was exposed to very unique set of individuals.